Putin Sets Date for Russia’s State Duma Elections: Vote Scheduled for September 20, 2026

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree setting the date for elections to the 9th convocation of the State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament.

According to official information, the elections will be held on September 20, 2026. As in previous parliamentary elections, voting will take place over three days, with the final voting day set for September 20.

The parliamentary elections will coincide with regional and municipal elections held as part of Russia’s nationwide single voting day.

Election campaign officially begins

Chairwoman of Russia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) Ella Pamfilova said that the election campaign officially began on June 16.

She said Putin’s decree launched the formal process for organizing and conducting the State Duma elections.

Pamfilova also warned that some regions could experience internet and communication disruptions during the voting period, saying such measures could be introduced for security reasons.

First parliamentary vote in occupied Ukrainian territories

The 2026 State Duma elections will be the first parliamentary elections in Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Russian authorities have announced plans to hold voting in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions — territories Moscow claims as part of Russia but which the international community recognizes as occupied Ukrainian territories.

Parliamentary elections have previously been held in Crimea following Russia’s annexation of the peninsula in 2014, a move widely condemned internationally.

In addition, remote electronic voting will be available in 33 Russian regions. The system has previously faced criticism from opposition groups and independent observers over transparency concerns.

Limited opportunities for opposition parties

The State Duma elections will be conducted through a mixed electoral system: 225 seats will be allocated through party lists and 225 through single-member districts.

Seventeen political parties have been approved to participate in the elections.

However, Russian opposition groups say candidates face restrictions on registration and political activity. Representatives of several parties, including Yabloko and the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, have reported obstacles to participation.

Yabloko, which has opposed Russia’s war in Ukraine, is considered one of the few political forces with an openly anti-war position that has been allowed to take part in the elections.

The previous State Duma elections were held in September 2021. Following those elections, the ruling United Russia party retained its constitutional majority in parliament.